'Harry Potter' play coming to British stage

By Lisa Respers France, CNN

Updated 2:07 PM ET, Fri December 20, 2013

Photos: 'Harry Potter': Hogwarts class of '1110 photos

'Harry Potter': Hogwarts class of '11 – Since portraying sharp witch Hermione in the "Harry Potter" series, Emma Watson has broken away from the supernatural with roles grounded in the (mostly) real world. After "My Week With Marilyn," "The Perks of Being A Wallflower" and "The Bling Ring," the 24-year-old actress also showed her sense of humor in Seth Rogen's outlandish summer comedy, "This Is the End." She'll next appear in the 2015 thriller, "Regression."

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Photos: 'Harry Potter': Hogwarts class of '1110 photos

'Harry Potter': Hogwarts class of '11 – Daniel Radcliffe proved on the October 28 edition of "The Tonight Show" that his talents go far beyond acting; Radcliffe's also a pretty great rapper, too. The 25-year-old will next appear in the Judd Apatow comedy "Trainwreck" in 2015. What's the rest of the cast up to these days?

'Harry Potter': Hogwarts class of '11 – Bonnie Wright began playing Ginny Weasley at age 10, and since leaving the franchise has been on a steady diet of dramas. Wright appeared in "The Philosophers," followed by "Before I Sleep" with Tom Sizemore.

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Photos: 'Harry Potter': Hogwarts class of '1110 photos

'Harry Potter': Hogwarts class of '11 – Just enough time has passed for us to stop cringing at the sight of Tom Felton, who came to be known as the weakling bully Draco Malfoy. Even while working on the "Potter" franchise, Felton dabbled in other films, like "The Disappeared" and "Get Him to the Greek." Felton has been busy since "Potter" wrapped, and appeared in the World War II movie "Ghosts of the Pacific" and the TNT cop drama "Murder in the First."

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Photos: 'Harry Potter': Hogwarts class of '1110 photos

'Harry Potter': Hogwarts class of '11 – By the time the "Potter" movies wrapped, Matthew Lewis -- and his character, Neville Longbottom -- had morphed into quite the charming young man. Now 25, Lewis initially migrated over to TV for a spell with "The Syndicate" and "Bluestone 42."

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Photos: 'Harry Potter': Hogwarts class of '1110 photos

'Harry Potter': Hogwarts class of '11 – The brothers who played the elder Weasleys -- George and Fred -- don't have the trademark ginger hair anymore, but they're still recognizable as the prankster pair. James (left) and Oliver Phelps are still happy to talk all things "Potter," even as they move on to other endeavors. James has been active on stage, and Oliver has been traveling in support of his website, JopWorld.com.

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Photos: 'Harry Potter': Hogwarts class of '1110 photos

'Harry Potter': Hogwarts class of '11 – Evanna Lynch's Luna Lovegood showed up halfway through the "Potter" saga, but her character was so wonderfully strange she's easily among the most memorable. And if there's anyone who's eager for the "Harry Potter" spinoff films, it's Lynch: "Maybe 'Fantastic Beasts' will turn into a long ting like HP did & I can play Luna as an old lady?" she tweeted. "Even if I'm too old to play Luna, can I go through 10 hours prosthetics to play a crumple-horned-snorkack. Please??"

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Photos: 'Harry Potter': Hogwarts class of '1110 photos

'Harry Potter': Hogwarts class of '11 – Jamie Waylett's Vincent Crabbe appeared in the first half of the franchise, and life post-"Potter" hasn't been so easy for the actor. In May 2012, he was sentenced to two years in jail for his participation in the 2011 London riots.

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Photos: 'Harry Potter': Hogwarts class of '1110 photos

'Harry Potter': Hogwarts class of '11 – Devon Murray's Seamus Finnigan was an easy character to love, and fans have missed seeing Murray (and hearing his accent) on the big screen. The 26-year-old actor assured a supporter from his unverified Twitter account in late September 2013 that he's "been offered a lead role in a new movie so could be seeing my mug soon :)"

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Story highlights

J.K. Rowling is developing a "Harry Potter" play

The story will follow Potter in his early years as an orphan

The play will go into development in 2014

There's some magic coming to a British stage.

Author J.K. Rowling has announced she is developing a play based on her "Harry Potter" stories. According to her website, Rowling is working in collaboration with award-winning producers Sonia Friedman and Colin Callender on the project.

"Over the years I have received countless approaches about turning Harry Potter into a theatrical production, but Sonia and Colin's vision was the only one that really made sense to me, and which had the sensitivity, intensity and intimacy I thought appropriate for bringing Harry's story to the stage," Rowling said in a statement.

"After a year in gestation it is exciting to see this project moving on to the next phase. I'd like to thank Warner Bros. for their continuing support in this project."

Warner Bros. is owned by CNN's parent company, Time Warner.

Rowling will reportedly be a producer of the play and work with a writer, but she will not be writing the play. The story will follow Potter in his early years as an orphan.

Directors and writers for the play, which will go into development in 2014, are currently being considered.